2. Order UP

When I woke up in the morning, I headed to my grandparents diner to help with the lunch rush. I had to walk there, since we could not get a tow truck to pick up my car until today. So I grabbed my ipod on the way out and turned it on to make my walk faster. The first song that played was The Clash’s “London Calling”, and I sang along.

The diner was the same since I had visited last; it was always comforting to know that it would never change. The menu also never changed; the only thing that you could get, was just good country cooking. There were pictures of family members on the walls, along with just people around town. My grandparents opened the shop a long time ago when my Grandpa was laid off from his job. Everyone in my family has worked at the diner one time in their life, and it was my time once again to work there. I always loved working there; the same cooks and waitresses had worked there since it opened.

I walked into the shop and everyone was in their designated places – my grandmother seating people and gossiping, my grandfather instructing the cooks how to, for the hundredth time, cook something, and the usual staff. Cooking was a passion of mine, ever since I started helping out there, and I loved staying in the kitchen and not dealing with the customers.

“Are you ready for the lunch rush?” Mike, the veteran cook asked as I donned an apron.

“Are you ready old man?” I joked back, and started making the orders.

After a while I was back into the swing of things and turned on the radio to get back into my old dancing-cooking routine. I never cared whether or not the customers saw me acting like a fool; it was a trademark of mine, and just fun. I turned up the radio station that played oldies and started discoing along with the spatula in my hand.

**

Jacob

The guys were trying to really help me and I really appreciated them trying so hard. They told me that I wasn’t going to get away easy and that we were going to the beach today but to the diner first for some lunch. Once again, like yesterday the guys arrived to pick me up and we were on our way.

“What are you going to get?” Embry asked Jared.

“Doesn’t matter, as long as I get a ton, I’m fine,” Jared laughed back, as he drove down the street.

The diner was not packed when we arrived, and we were able to get a booth easily. I started flipping through the menu to choose and noticed a familiar song playing in the distance. I followed the music to the kitchen area where some girl was dancing along with it. She looked careless and happy, just the opposite of me.

“Hey, it’s the chick from yesterday,” Jared pointed out to Embry.

“She’s cute, good thing you have a girl,” Embry snickered at Jared, and poked him in the ribs.

“What can I get you fellas?” an old lady asked, with pen and paper in hand.

“I will get the double stacker with a order of onion rings,” Embry said, handing her the menu.

“I’ll take the Fried Chicken with Macaroni,” I told her, handing her my menu.

The lady walked over to the window, placed the ticket on the wheel and spun it around. The girl read it over and started working on it. She slapped down the patties for the burger on the grill, and went on for Jared’s melt, the entire time dancing along with the music.

We talked while we waited for our food to be ready, I tried to keep my eyes from wondering back to her, but something drove me to keep an eye on her. Time flew by and before I knew it our food was on the table and Jared threw a fry at me to get my attention.

“Earth to Jacob, the foods here,” Jared chuckled grabbing his burger from the plate.

**

“Mike are you ever going to retire?” I played with him making another order.

“What are you saying young blood?” Mike asked back.

“You are getting up there in age and I bet Betty would like you home more.” I teased.

“On the contrary, Betty is happy I’m here. I’m out of her hair that way and I’m not that old.” Mike clarified to me.

“Whatever you will always be old to me.” I joked at him.

I loved every second being behind the counter, I never really liked taking orders and having to put up with rude people. I was deep in flipping my burgers when I heard someone walk up to the counter.

“Um, Excuse me?” the person asked.

I turned to see the kid from yesterday looking a little embarrassed, “I don’t remake orders so if you didn’t like it hit a fast food joint.” I told him turning back around to my burgers.

“No that wasn’t what I was going to say, I was just going to ask what time the barbeque was taking place.” He asked.

“Oh that, I think like 2 or so, you can always come earlier to help set up things and what not.” I apologized to him.

“Yeah sure the pack, I mean guy and I can help set up things anything for Old Red, see ya then.” He said with a hint of a smile playing at his lips.

“Yeah okay.” I said back and turned to my now burnt burgers, “Damn.”

For some weird cosmic reason untold to me I could not wait for the barbeque this weekend and I think it was because I would see him again. God I’m back in town for a day and I already have a crush on a kid.